Below is a review of the posts on Facebook and LinkedIn from the past week. You can check out the full posts by clicking on the links.
NOTE: remember that we now post every other day.
The posts on Monday 5/25/2026, here and here, were about Memorial Day: history, traditions and rituals. And a special thank you to those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms.
Memorial Day is a federal holiday that celebrates and honors the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. It is observed every year on the last Monday of May. Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day in a nod to the tradition of placing flowers or other decorative displays at gravesites.
Often thought of similarly, there is a difference between Memorial Day and Veterans Day. The former commemorates deceased U.S. soldiers; who the latter honors is in the post.
Memorial Day 2026 fell on Monday, May 25. It has been observed annually on the last Monday in May since 1971. Before that, however, Memorial Day fell on May 30 each year with few exceptions. Why the date changed is discussed in the post.
Memorial Day origin
The origins of Memorial Day date back to the Civil War, which ended in the spring of 1865. The Civil War claimed more lives than any conflict in U.S. history and required the establishment of the country’s first national cemeteries; the post includes the huge number of soldiers killed in the Civil War. After the war, devastated communities sought to honor their dead. By the late 1860s, Americans had begun holding springtime tributes to these countless fallen soldiers, decorating their graves with flowers and reciting prayers. The commemoration was like a wave across the nation, eventually expanding to honor fallen soldiers from all wars, but only in 1971 did Memorial Day become a federal holiday.
It is unclear exactly where the tradition originated; it might have been organic in several communities. Some records show relevant history from less than a month after the Confederacy surrendered in 1865 – see the post for which city and more details. But a year earlier, three women in Pennsylvania had decorated soldiers’ graves in their town. But despite all that, in 1966, the federal government declared Waterloo, New York, the official birthplace of Memorial Day. Why Waterloo – which first celebrated the day on May 5, 1866 – was chosen is in the post.
Decoration Day
Before Memorial Day we had Decoration Day. On May 5, 1868, Major General John A. Logan, leader of an organization for Union Civil War veterans, called for a nationwide day of remembrance later that month on May 30th. Logan’s proclamation is in the post. He called the occasion Decoration Day in a nod to the tradition of decorating soldiers’ graves that he sought to popularize. Why Logan chose May 30 is in the post (and might surprise you with its logic).
On the first Decoration Day, General James Garfield made a speech at Arlington National Cemetery. How many people attended is noted in the post; they decorated the graves of the 20,000 Civil War soldiers buried there with small American flags.
Many Northern states held similar commemorative events and reprised the tradition in subsequent years; by 1890, each one had made Decoration Day an official state holiday. Southern states, on the other hand, continued to honor the dead on separate days until after World War I.
Evolution Into a Federal Holiday
Gradually, Decoration Day came to be known as Memorial Day as reflected in the 1887 law that Congress passed (the details of which are in the post).
Memorial Day originally honored only those lost while fighting in the Civil War. But during World War I, the United States found itself embroiled in another major conflict, and the holiday evolved to commemorate American military personnel who died in all wars (as listed in the post – and there are 4-5 others).
During the mid-20th century, Presidents Truman and Eisenhower followed the lead of earlier commanders-in-chief by issuing proclamations encouraging Americans to observe Memorial Day (which was not yet a national holiday). In 1950, Truman called for Memorial Day to “henceforth be dedicated also as a day for Nation-wide prayer for permanent peace.” He also initiated an hour of prayer (at the time and for the reason noted in the post).
Then, finally, in 1971, Memorial Day became a federal holiday across the country thanks to a law Congress had passed two and a half years earlier.
Did you know?
Each year on Memorial Day a national moment of remembrance takes place at 3:00 p.m. local time.
Memorial Day Traditions and Rituals
Cities and towns across the United States host Memorial Day parades each year, often incorporating military personnel and members of veterans’ organizations. Some of the largest parades are in the cities listed in the post. Americans also observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries and memorials. Some people wear a red poppy in remembrance of those fallen in war – the origin of this tradition is noted in the post with a link.
On a less somber note, many people take weekend trips or throw parties and barbecues on the holiday, perhaps because Memorial Day weekend – the long weekend comprising the Saturday and Sunday before Memorial Day and Memorial Day, itself – unofficially marks the beginning of summer.
TAKEAWAY: You may be one of the people who just enjoys the day off or unofficial start to summer, or you may be someone who knows the origin and purpose of Memorial Day and recognizes the sacrifice that culminated in our freedom.
The posts on Wednesday 5/27/2026, here and here, were where Lawyers Share 10 Things They Wish Everyone Knew About HOAs.
You probably know that buying a home and creating equity is one of the best ways you can build wealth. But the type of property you purchase can really make a difference in your ability to succeed in those goals, especially if the property is located in a condominium, real estate cooperative or homeowners association (HOA). These forms of common ownership interest communities are similar, but not the same; here we will focus on HOAs.
HOAs might seem restrictive, but owners do have legal rights that can protect their your investment. The post contains tips from several lawyers as to what they wish everyone knew before purchasing a home governed by an HOA.
1. Get familiar with HOA documents. One of the most important things to do is read and fully understand the HOA’s governing documents. “These documents — which include covenants, conditions, and restrictions (CC&Rs), bylaws, and rules — dictate the terms of living within that community,” said the lawyer noted in the post. They can include everything from the color owners can or must paint their fence to what pets they can have and so much more. These are legal documents that bind all owners.
2. Investigate the HOA’s financials. One attorney said,”Look into the association’s budget and reserve fund to avoid potential financial issues or unexpected fees.” It is imperative that owners know what their assessments pay for and whether the HOA has and is looking to its financial future – which affects the marketability and value of homes in the community.
3. Be aware of special inspections. This is a huge issue in the wake of the Surfside condo collapse in FL. What the inspections look for, and the literal cost that can flow to owners as a result, is discussed in the post.
4. Be an active participant. Every owner has the power of membership in their HOA. That includes active participation in meetings and decisions that can significantly influence how rules are shaped and enforced. And what can that mean to owners? See the post.
5. Challenge unjust rules. This is sort of a corollary to the prior tip. Owners have the right to contest rules they find to be unreasonable or not in their best interest by using the procedures set forth in the community’s governing documents or applicable state law.
6. Know who’s on the HOA board. Not just anyone should be in charge of operating the HOA. Often how a person behaves is a good indicator of how they’ll lead (as a member of the HOA Board). Think about some of the traits that owners might not want to see in Board members – like those in the post.
The other 4 tips, Monitor HOA operations with technology, Know your local property laws, Be prepared for disputes, and Know your legal rights, are each discussed in detail in the post.
TAKEAWAY: Before buying in a community association, read (and understand) the documents governing the community and follow at least some of the other tips here. Consult with a community association lawyer as to any questions.
The posts on Friday 5/29/2026, here and here, told us FedEx settles charge it denied telework accommodations to workers with disabilities (and denies some – but not all – of the allegations against it).
This is not the first rodeo for FedEx, but one involving large dollars and a now all-too-common subject. FedEx will pay $280,000 to settle a complaint filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (which is linked in the post). In brief, the January 2025 complaint alleges that FedEx revoked telework accommodations for dispatchers with disabilities in February 2023 despite in-office presence allegedly not being an essential function of the job.
As usual, the monetary payment is not all that FedEx agreed to as part of the settlement.
What can be learned from this case? It is an example of something many attorneys warned about as employers began to require workers to return to the office after COVID-19 cases declined: increased litigation against companies that did not sufficiently consider workers’ continued teleworking requests when instituting an RTO (return to office) policy.
You should know that telework has long been considered a reasonable accommodation for workers with disabilities; when the EEOC began to list it as an option is noted in the post.
In this case involving FedEx, it closed an office in NJ and relocated dispatchers to NY in March 2020. That change would have required the charging party (the primary plaintiff in the lawsuit) to travel significantly further. That worker has Type II diabetes, asthma, diabetic neuropathy and other conditions that limit her mobility and would have had to navigate trains and take lengthy walks. The following month, in April, FedEx allowed all workers to work remotely due to the pandemic.
But then in August 2021, FedEx allegedly asked dispatchers who wanted to continue to work remotely to submit an accommodation request form and medical documentation. Several did. The charging party and others were granted telework accommodations and successfully continued in their roles until February 2023. At that time dispatch managers allegedly asked the workplace committee that had approved the telework accommodations to review them for the reason noted in the post (and yes, ugh). The committee eventually denied continued telework accommodations without interviewing the affected workers or offering them alternatives. The reason they gave for the change is also in the post.
The charging party clarified the basis of her accommodation request and provided doctors’ notes (see the post), but the committee allegedly refused to explore other options or even the operational need for in-person work.
FedEx wasn’t the only employer caught in the post-pandemic telework accommodation crosshairs: the potential compliance perils of RTO mandates reared its head again last year with President Trump’s “Return to In-Person Work” memorandum for federal workers (see our post of Tues. 2/25/2025). At that time the EEOC responded by cautioning federal agencies not to take a blanket approach to telework accommodations. That was echoed as part of this settlement with FedEx – see the post.
The statement by FedEx after the settlement was reached is in the post – and includes that it “… continue[s] to deny a number of the allegations made in this lawsuit ….”
TAKEAWAY: The longer a telework accommodation has been provided, especially if the worker’s performance has been at least satisfactory, the more difficult it will be for the employer to remove the accommodation. Discuss any changes with an employment lawyer.